Duck Stamp

Artist Statement

This piece was made for the Duck Stamp competition, for which I chose two species, the mallard and trumpeter swan, to include in my work. I was drawn to these because I liked the simplicity of the swan, especially the way the black beak and feet stood out against the white. I also liked the colours on the mallard, and the way the wings looked when spread out. I thought that the mallard could stand out even more against the white swans, when layered over them.

The shapes and colours on the mallard looked fairly minimal, and they brought paper to mind. I used it as my main medium, with black pen and marker for the details, and watercolours for the background. Another reason I favoured paper in this piece was I thought it resembled feathers, and the layering of them could mimic the way the wings were constructed. I did the watercolour wash first, to create a background that wasn't too busy, but still filled up the white space. I then cut out my swans, trying to pay attention to the angle of the feathers and the way they spread out, as well as the length of the neck and the way it connected to the head. The mallard, as you can see, is considerably smaller than the swans. That is deliberate- the average trumpeter swan wingspan is eight feet, while the mallard's is only about three. While the proportions are not mathematically scaled, I tried to reflect this in the sizes.

My process was slightly scattered, as I went into more detail, I realized I needed more research or different materials, and made the according changes. I did some research on both of the species, to make sure they lived in the same areas and could be seen together, as well as finding out details such as the differenciating wingspans. I gathered a few photos of each species, trying to focus on the wings. As I mentioned, the watercolour wash was first. I then cut out my swans, going back to find photos of the shape of the trumpeter swan skull and the feather shapes. I realized that the watercolour wash that I had done was far too light, and wouldn't show enough contrast against the white swans. I deepened the colour of the background, then got to work on the mallard. I started with the basic shape in brown, then adding in the colours with individual blocks of paper, cutting away more and more of it to create details. I assembled the mallard, glued the swans, and added the feet and beaks for them. After glueing the mallard, I decided it too need a few more things. I drew in some feathers with black pen, and felt satisfied. Overall, I am happy with the piece, having achieved some details while still holding on to a minimalist feel.